Prom 68: Berlin Philharmonic & Kirill Petrenko (II) – 2.09.18

[mathias broucek]

Full weight? Of an orchestra of reduced complement yes, but full orchestra, no. A McG made a point of mentioning the reduced size for the Beethoven.

My point was more that he was using the full sonority of the band before him. You could hear that the band wasn't especially large

[Keraulophone]

You could hear that the band wasn't especially large

But it was quite large. As far as I could see, the double-basses were reduced from seven in the Strauss to six for the Beethoven. You’re absolutely right about ‘using the full sonority of the band before him’ as the string tone was so refulgent and the two horns (Sarah Willis and Stefan Dohr playing their socks off) and two trumpets, not to mention the stars of that superfine wind section, contributed to a blazing overall sound in the arena at least.

Seemingly ‘on the edge’ and at the same time brilliantly, scarily channelled by Kirill Petrenko, this must be the most memorable live Beethoven 7 I have heard.

[Hornspieler]

My first memory of Beethoven's Seventh is right back in 1935.

I remember sitting with my parents listening on the wireless to the slow movement of Beethoven 7th as the radio announcer informed listeners that the King (George V ) was slowly edging towards death.

I was only 4 years old and, believe it or not, Beethoven's 7th has always had a special place in my heart since that day, I am sure that I could draw a picture of the scene in our sitting room that evening.

I really enjoyed the two Strauss Tone poems and thought that the BPO had really found a good replacement for Sir Simon Rattle.

A mockery of a performance given to an audience largely (I suspect) uneducated in the treatment required of one of the World's finest composers.

Sir Thomas Beecham would have a single word to describe both the performers and the listeners:

Savages!Savages!"

[Bryn]

My first memory of Beethoven's Seventh is right back in 1935.

I remember sitting with my parents listening on the wireless to the slow movement of Beethoven 7th as the radio announcer informed listeners that the King (George V ) was slowly edging towards death. . . .

A head of state who really was, unlike Stalin, murdered by his doctor. Fortunately, Beethoven's 7th was brought back to life, rather than murdered, by KP and the BP on Sunday.

[Keraulophone]

I’d rather hear savages than ‘a lot of yaks jumping about’.

[Bryn]

I’d rather hear savages than ‘a lot of yaks jumping about’.

[Richard Barrett]

A savage writes: I find it hard to put my mind to non-HIPP Beethoven, unless it's C Kleiber, but this was really quite good.

[Prommer]

Seemingly ‘on the edge’ and at the same time brilliantly, scarily channelled by Kirill Petrenko, this must be the most memorable live Beethoven 7 I have heard.

Like Kleiber in this important regard...

[Petrushka]

I was in the hall for this but had been allocated a seat in a loggia box at the very rear of the RAH where it all sounded very dim and distant. The balcony overhang is deadly to the sound and strings were barely audible. Surely, the worst seat in the house? Not happy at spending £67 on a concert that sounded so disembodied and very different to the side stalls seat I prefer. Forumites may remember that I had card payment issues when booking and this was the result.

Might as well have stayed at home and listened on R3!

[Darkbloom]

I was in the hall for this but had been allocated a seat in a loggia box at the very rear of the RAH where it all sounded very dim and distant. The balcony overhang is deadly to the sound and strings were barely audible. Surely, the worst seat in the house? Not happy at spending £67 on a concert that sounded so disembodied and very different to the side stalls seat I prefer. Forumites may remember that I had card payment issues when booking and this was the result.

Might as well have stayed at home and listened on R3!

If I get a seat I usually end up regretting it, no matter where it is. I can understand people not wanting to Prom, for various reasons, but unless I'm in the Arena I feel left out. You pay quite a lot of money for restricted views of the stage and an odd sound balance.

[jayne lee wilson]

I was in the hall for this but had been allocated a seat in a loggia box at the very rear of the RAH where it all sounded very dim and distant. The balcony overhang is deadly to the sound and strings were barely audible. Surely, the worst seat in the house? Not happy at spending £67 on a concert that sounded so disembodied and very different to the side stalls seat I prefer. Forumites may remember that I had card payment issues when booking and this was the result.

Might as well have stayed at home and listened on R3!

Do seek it out on iplayer, little puppet... it was absolutely extraordinary...
....and you, of all much-travelled concertgoers, will soon hear why...

[Petrushka]

Do seek it out on iplayer, little puppet... it was absolutely extraordinary...
....and you, of all much-travelled concertgoers, will soon hear why...

I recorded it at home so will listen (again) anon. Even with the impossible acoustic I could tell it was a terrific performance, but, oh dear, the BPO sounded as if they were at South Ken tube station!

[Keraulophone]

I was in the hall for this but had been allocated a seat in a loggia box at the very rear of the RAH where it all sounded very dim and distant.

I sympathise with you having had a similar experience in a loggia box a couple of years ago, an experience I vowed never to repeat. This box was on the side, not too far away from the John Wilson Orchestra, but it had a glass panel across the side next to my seat. This completely blocked all sound coming from my right and the overhang obscured much of the rest. Adding to the frustration were a group of four punters who were more interested in pouring prosecco, eating and chatting than listening to the concert.

For this concert I stood bang in the centre of the arena (for the others at the weekend I was closer) and the sound was ideal to my ears. After four long unsupported stands (Mahler 3 being the longest and without an interval) the backache was beginning to tell. Still feeling elated.

[BBMmk2]

I had similar too. I vowed the same.

[Keraulophone]

Berlin PO and Kirill Petrenks after Death and Transfiguration